PROBLEM: When the clubhead hosel meets the ball at impact and sends it scurrying crazily to the right -- and too often into big trouble!

This is one of the scariest problems in golf.

While it can and often does get into a golfer’s head and cling there stubbornly, the good news is that nothing really moves the ball in any direction until someone swings a club at it. And that’s a physical, not a mental action.

It happens when the swingplane extends too far from the body, causing a misalignment at impact.

Here are some possible cures.

Don’t stand too close to the ball.

Don’t let your weight come forward toward the ball during the swing. Settle back in your stance and keep your weight more on your heels.

On the downswing, don’t “cast” with the hands and shoulders from the top. Let your legs and body start the downswing, and pull the club down.

Keep your head still.

Make a confident (not tentative) swing with soft hands and a smooth follow-through.

"It took me 17 years to get 3,000 hits in baseball. I did it in one afternoon on the golf course."Hank Aaron

Take a look at ball marks on the clubface. You may be striking the ball too close to the shaft hosel, and it will send the ball far to the right. I also have experienced this problem, and I found a couple of ways to cure it. In my case, I was standing with too much weight on my toes. When I put a little more weight on my heels, the problem disappeared. Another possible reason for those who have a rather flat swing plane is that the harder you swing, the more the clubhead extends farther from your body due to centri- fugal force, increasing the chance of striking the ball on the hosel. If you like swinging hard, try a more upright swing plane. One more thing to consider, maybe your irons are not fitted properly to your body build. You can visit your local pro shop to check this. If the shafts are too long, just have them shortened and re-gripped, it is not that expensive. -- Richard Myers